Final answer:
By setting up an equation based on the increments each brother receives, and assuming the youngest brother gets 10 dollars, we can determine that the oldest brother gets 40 dollars, which is answer choice B.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how much the oldest brother received, we need to set up an equation based on the given information. Let's assume the youngest brother receives x dollars. Therefore, the next older brother receives x + 10 dollars, the next one receives (x + 10) + 10, which can be simplified to x + 20 dollars, and finally, the oldest brother receives (x + 20) + 10, which simplifies to x + 30 dollars.
If we set the youngest brother's amount as x dollars, then:
- Youngest brother: x dollars
- 3rd oldest: x + 10 dollars
- 2nd oldest: x + 20 dollars
- Oldest brother: x + 30 dollars
Choosing the correct answer involves finding the amount the oldest brother gets, which is x + 30 dollars. Since x is not provided, we must look at the answer choices and understand that each brother receives 10 dollars more than the previous one. The smallest increment we can start with is 10 dollars for the youngest brother; otherwise, the amounts wouldn't increase by 10 dollars progressively. By process of elimination and logical reasoning, we can conclude:
- Youngest brother: 10 dollars
- 3rd oldest: 20 dollars
- 2nd oldest: 30 dollars
- Oldest brother: 40 dollars
So the answer is B. 40 dollars.